Sole stamping and slitting machine.



G. E. WARD. SOLE STAMPING AND SLITTING MACHINE.

APPLICATION FILED JUNE 25, 1908.

Patented May 11, 1909.

THE nomus PETERS :0), WASHINGTON, n, c

UNITED STATES PATENT OIEEIUEO GEORGE ERNEST WARD, OF BROCKTON,MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO GEOIEQKEITH COM- PANY, OF BROCKION,MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

SOLE STAMPING AND SLITTING MACHINE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented May 11 1909.

Application filed June 25, 1908. Serial No. 440,349.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE ERNEST WARD, of Brockton, in the county ofPlymouth and State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new anduseful Improvements in Sole Stamping and Slitting Machines, of which thefollowing is a specification.

This invention has for its object to provide a machine for stamping andslitting inner soles, the term "slitting, as here used, meaning theformation of short transverse slits at the heel portion of an innersole, said slits defining the rear end of the flap or lip formed bychanneling the edge of the fore part of the inner sole. Slittingmachines for this purpose are now in use, the machine including a bedwhich supports the heel portion of an inner sole, a head which ismovable toward and from the bed, and carries a pair of knives adapted toform two slits or cuts in one side of the inner sole, said 'cuts formingthe rear ends of the channel flap or lip, and mechanism forreciprocating the head to cause the knives to act on a sole supported bythe bed.

My invention is chiefly embodied in adding to a machine of thischaracter, parts comprising a stamping die forming a support for aportion of the inner sole, and located in suitable relation to the bedof the slitting machine, a plunger movable toward and from said die,andadapted to press the sole against the die, the latter being formed toimpress on the inner sole a suitable design, such as the stamp of theBoot and Shoe Workers Union, and the number of the factory where themachine is employed, and mechanism suitably connected with the mechan-iism which actuates the slitting machine, whereby the stamping plunger isreciprocated simultaneously with the cutter-carrying head of theslitting machine, so that the two operations, namely: the slitting andthe stamping of the inner sole, are carried on simultaneously, and muchless time is required than would be involved if the slitting andstamping operations were performed separately.

Of the accompanying drawings, forming a part of thisspecification,Figure 1 represents a side elevation of a machineembodying my invention, consisting of a slitting machine to which myimprovements are connected. Fig. 2 represents an end elevaism adapted totion of the same. Fig. 3 represents a side view of an inner sole showingthe slits and the union stamp formed simultaneously thereon by theconjoint operation of the slitting machine, and of my improvedattachment.

The same reference characters indicate the same parts in all thefigures.

In the drawings, 12 represents the solesupporting bed of a slittingmachine of suitable construction, and 13 represents a head which ismovable toward andfrom the bed 12, and carries a pair of slittin knives14, adapted to form two transverse s lits 15, 15, in one side of aninner sole 16, said slits being so located as to define the rear ends ofa lip, the main portion of which is formed by channel ing the edge ofthe forepart of the inner sole. The head 13 usually carries, in additionto the slitting knives 14, suitable means for forming marks orindentations 18 between and in alinement with theslots 15, saidindentations being used to guide the operator in applying the welt tothe inner sole.

The means here shown for reciprocating the head 13 comprise a walkingbeam 19 fulcrumed at 20 in the standards 21 rising from a base 40, onearm of said walking beam having a suitable engagement with thejhead 18,

and a cam 22 mounted upon a shaft 23 which is journaled in bearings inthe supporting frame 21, said cam engaging the other arm of the walkingbeam 19 in such manner that its rotation imparts an oscillating motionto the walking beam.

Since my invention does not relate to the specific construction of theslitting machine,

I have not attempted to show the latter in detail.

' In carrying out my invention, I provide as an addition a slittingmachine of the general character above stated, a stamping mechanimpresson the shank part of the inner sole a design 2 1, which is indented inthe material of the inner sole, and may constitute what is known as theunion stamp of the Boot and ShoeI Jorkers Union, and the number of thefactory. In all shoe factories employing so-called union help, it is therule to apply such a design or stamp to the inner surface of the innersole in such position that it will be visible in the completed boot orshoe. I-Ieretofore, this stamp has been applied by a die or stamp heldby the operator,

vertically in a fixed and applied by means of a hammer or mallet,anoperation which involves a considerable expenditure of time. Myinvention, hereinafter described, obviates this lost time, and enablesthe union stamp to be applied to one surface at the same time that theslits 15 are cut in fromthe other side of the inner sole.

The stamping mechanism of my invention includes a stamping die 25 whichis movable guide 26, and is yieldingly su ported by a spring 27 in saidguide, the die is side of an inner sole 16 at a suitable distance fromthe bed 12 of the slitting machine. Cooperating with the stamping die 25is a hammer or plunger 28, which is movable in a fixed guide 29, and isreciprocated in said guide by mechanism hereinafter described, thearrangement being such that when the hammer is moved downwardly towardthe sole, it presses the under side of the sole against the die 25, andthus causes the latter to impress the stamp or design 24: in the underside of the sole, the side opposite that which receives the guidemarkings 18.

The shank of the plunger 28 is engaged with one arm of a walkin beam 30,which is fulcrumed at 31 between fixed vertical standards 32 formingextensions of the standards 21. One arm of the walking beam has anopening which receives the shank of the plunger 28, ortions of the armforming the sides of said opening being provided with slots 33, whichare slightly elongated lengthwise of the walking beam, and receive studsor trunnions 34, projecting laterally from opposite sides of the shankof the plunger 28, a suitable connection being thus formed between thewalking beam and the plunger, which compensates for the swingingmovement of the walking beam, and permits a rectilinear movement of theplunger. To the opposite arm of the walking beam is pivoted at 35 a linkor rod 36 attached to a strap 37, which surrounds an eccentric 38affixed to a shaft 39 journaled in bearings supported by the base40,Wl110ll also supports the standards 32, the stamping die guide 26,and the plunger guide 29. The base 40 also supports the slittingmachine, the frame 21 of said machine being detachably secured by bolts41, or otherwise, to the base 10.

A suitable connection is provided between the mechanism whichreciprocates the hammer 28, and the mechanism which reciprocates theslitting knife carrier or head 13, so that said parts are operatedsimultaneously. As here shown, the said connection comprises a gear 42affixed to the shaft 39, and a gear 43 affixed to the shaft 23, andmeshing with the gear 42. Power may be applied to either of the shafts39 or 23, preferably to the shaft 39, which may be provided with adriving pulley engaging a driving belt.

eing arranged to bear on the under It will be seen that the rotation ofthe shaft 39 causes the simultaneous operation of the slitting knifehead, or carrier 13, and the hammer or plunger 28, so that an inner sole16 applied to the bed 12 and die 25, as indicated in Fig. 1, is providedat one operation with the slits 15, and with the stamp 24. It will beseen, further, that the base 10 serves to su port not only the stampingmechanism, liut also the slitting mechanism, said .bed, the drivingshaft 39, the stamping die 25, the plunger or hammer 28, the fixedguides for the stamping die and hammer, the connection between thehammer and the driving shaft, and the standards 32 for the walking beam,forming a part of said connection, constituting a stamping attachment towhich the slitting machine may be applied.

Slitting machines are now on the market in which the shaft 23, carryingthe cam which actuates the walking beam 19, is provided with a drivingpulley engaged with a driving belt. Such a machine requires for its useas a part of my improved machine, only the removal of the drivingpulley, and the substitution therefor of the gear 43. It will be seen,therefore, that to construct a machine complete according to myinvention, a slitting machine of known make may be utilized withoutchange or modification of the latter, excepting the slight modificationabove described.

The walking beam 30 is above the walking beam 19, and of greater length,both being supported by the uprights 21 and extensions 32 thereof. Thisprovides a compact and convenient machine for the simultaneous stampingand slitting, enables the stamp to be applied always in proper positionrelatively to the slits 15 and guide markings 18, and provides for asimple arrangement of gearing and connections for operating the knivesand plunger 28.

The die 25 and the hammer 28 constitute o posed sole -stamping members,one of w ich is yieldingly supported or backed to permit the stamping ofrelatively thick soles without undue strain on the machine. It isobvious that a yielding backing, such as that afforded by the spring 27,may be applied to the hammer instead of to the stamping die. The hammerguide 29 is here shown as a neck or cross bar connecting two uprights290, which are secured to the base 40. An additional guide for thestamping die may be formed in a cross bar 291 between said uprights. Thebed 12 and the knife-carrying head 13 constitute opposed sole -slittingmembers arranged in operative proximity to the stamping members, therebeing, therefore, two pairs of members, one for stamping, and the otherfor slitting, one member of each pair being movable toward and from theother, mechanism being provided for simultaneously reciprocating the twomovable members. The gear 42 on the driving shaft 39 is a member adaptedto engage the operating mechanism of the sole-slitting members of themachine.

I claim:

1. A sole stamping and slitting machine, comprising a base, standardsthereon, two walking beams supported one above the other by saidstandards, means for oscillating said beams in unison, and sole slittingand stamping members connected with said beams.

2. A sole stamping and slitting machine, comprising a base, standardsthereon, a sole supporting bed and a die supported by said base, twowalking beams supported one above the other by said standards, means foroscillating said beams in unison, sole slitting knives carried by onebeam, and a plunger carried by the other beam to cooperate with said diein stamping a sole.

3. A sole stamping and slitting machine,

by the other beam to cooperate with said yielding die in stamping asole.

In testimony whereof I have afiixed my slgnature, in presence of tWowitnesses.

GEORGE ERNEST WVARD.

Witnesses:

C. F. BROWN, P. W. Panama.

